Dark Shadows has arrived!

[darkshadows38]

no it wasn't booze he had issues with on why the actor who played Chris left the show, he took a really bad batch of LSD at the time and it really f... him up for life it really messed up the rest of his life look it up it's really heartbreaking i would not be surprised if it was from the same batch that Peter Green and Danny Kirwan i'm not even sure i spelled his last name right? from Fleetwood Mac when the both of them really got f... up mentally from the really bad batch of LSD they took not only did Peter Green's behavior change he ended up giving everything he owned away and joined a cult at some point. Danny KIrwin or Kirwan i forget which one is right once he left the band in (1972) other than having mental issues for the rest of his life and as even committed to an a play like Bellvue for quite awhile even Mick who kept in contact with old bandmates never knew where he was even when he died a few years ago Danny K. nobody even knew where he was from Fleetwood Mac. sorry for going off topic a bit.

as for DS i have always wondered why they made Barnabas a hero at all, my guess it could have been why Dr. Smith in the Classic Original show was changed from Villain to well on how he ended up being was due to Johnathon Harris at some point Harris started thinking okay this show is hopefully going to be on a long time and as much as i'm loving being on the show you can only have me as a Villain for so long before it gets tiring and if they are now stuck with me i'd get bored from being evil. at least this is just a guess on what he was thinking i have no idea how if i'm right. but my point is Maybe Frid thought the same thing i'm having fun on the show i love doing it but since he made the show a hit maybe he got tired of playing him as a Villain i dunno, Don Briscoe was the actor who played Chris Jennings by the way.

sorry for going off about Fleetwood mac but my point was that LSD really f.. those guys up and they had taken a really bad batch

 

[Daniel Avery]

I'd also heard the story about Don Briscoe and the LSD, but didn't see it in his "official" bios so I wasn't sure. But it makes the most sense.

Soaps, like most TV programs of that era, were considered "morality plays". The good guys always won, and the bad guys always faced punishment. On a soap, it did not take long to figure out who was the "good" character and who was the "bad" character. Soaps got to depict such struggles in a deeper way, often getting to examine the thought processes of the villains and have the viewer more involved in the debate over reward-versus-punishment. But like I said, scripted TV had a very healthy dose of "morality play" throughout the process. So it would have been impossible for DS to have continued with Barnabas leading his un-lifestyle without punishing him for killing young ladies on the docks and trying to turn Maggie or Vicky into his ersatz-Josette. The short plot arc where he attempted to drive Julia insane also seemed to have been written to reinforce his unredeemable nature, even as the show seemed settled on the idea that he was going to stick around rather than face the typical fate of villains (killed off after thirteen weeks of mayhem). The lead character of early DS was the good-hearted heroine, Victoria Winters, just as other soaps had equally good-hearted heroes or heroines. They were expected to be the role models for viewers. The network, the viewers, and maybe even the writers themselves would not have pushed for Barnabas to become the main focus of the series because he was the bad guy--at least in the original form. They had to write what is commonly referred to as his "redemption arc"--a story that attempts to justify a villain's bad behavior, and in many cases convinces the viewer that he or she isn't totally bad and ought to be forgiven. The funny part (to me) is that many times, the explanation of the villain's bad behavior is that another, even more villainous figure had made them do those things. Blame is basically shifted to someone else and leaving the original bad guy somehow absolved of his or her bad behavior rather than a simple situation where the bad guy repents and tries to become a better person. In DS's case, Barn was said to be a victim of Angelique the "real" evil villain of the piece, and later Angelique got something of a similar plot where Nicholas Blair was made to be her tormentor.

It's actually rather common these days to have TV shows, movies, etc. where the main character or characters are not heroes, and in fact many cases where the lead is outright evil. Writers have not totally abandoned the idea of good always triumphing over evil, but they often seem convinced that villains are more interesting to write for and to watch. Tastes in TV and movies simply shifted over time.

 

[tommie]

I'd also heard the story about Don Briscoe and the LSD, but didn't see it in his "official" bios so I wasn't sure. But it makes the most sense.

Soaps, like most TV programs of that era, were considered "morality plays". The good guys always won, and the bad guys always faced punishment. On a soap, it did not take long to figure out who was the "good" character and who was the "bad" character. Soaps got to depict such struggles in a deeper way, often getting to examine the thought processes of the villains and have the viewer more involved in the debate over reward-versus-punishment. But like I said, scripted TV had a very healthy dose of "morality play" throughout the process. So it would have been impossible for DS to have continued with Barnabas leading his un-lifestyle without punishing him for killing young ladies on the docks and trying to turn Maggie or Vicky into his ersatz-Josette. The short plot arc where he attempted to drive Julia insane also seemed to have been written to reinforce his unredeemable nature, even as the show seemed settled on the idea that he was going to stick around rather than face the typical fate of villains (killed off after thirteen weeks of mayhem). The lead character of early DS was the good-hearted heroine, Victoria Winters, just as other soaps had equally good-hearted heroes or heroines. They were expected to be the role models for viewers. The network, the viewers, and maybe even the writers themselves would not have pushed for Barnabas to become the main focus of the series because he was the bad guy--at least in the original form. They had to write what is commonly referred to as his "redemption arc"--a story that attempts to justify a villain's bad behavior, and in many cases convinces the viewer that he or she isn't totally bad and ought to be forgiven. The funny part (to me) is that many times, the explanation of the villain's bad behavior is that another, even more villainous figure had made them do those things. Blame is basically shifted to someone else and leaving the original bad guy somehow absolved of his or her bad behavior rather than a simple situation where the bad guy repents and tries to become a better person. In DS's case, Barn was said to be a victim of Angelique the "real" evil villain of the piece, and later Angelique got something of a similar plot where Nicholas Blair was made to be her tormentor.

It's actually rather common these days to have TV shows, movies, etc. where the main character or characters are not heroes, and in fact many cases where the lead is outright evil. Writers have not totally abandoned the idea of good always triumphing over evil, but they often seem convinced that villains are more interesting to write for and to watch. Tastes in TV and movies simply shifted over time.

Case in point: Harris Ryland on TNTDallas. He was initially written as the big bad villain and tormentor of Ann on the show, then they decided that they liked Mitch Pileggi so in comes Judith Light as his sociopathic mother and the one that's the real bad guy. Shows pull this sort of thing frequently.

 

[tommie]

So, I finished Parallel time and of course most of the cast died, Julia and Barnabas gets tossed forwards to 1995 where they stay for two weeks leaving behind murder and mayhem and killing off most of the cast again, and now they're back in 1970 via a secret ghost door. Confused? You won't be after the next episode of Dark Shadows.

 

[Daniel Avery]

An amusing observation from a recent episode:

So Elizabeth has been put under another spell. This time she thinks she's Naomi Collins, her long-ago ancestor who famously took poison after learning her son Barnabas was a vampire. Repeating the actions of Naomi, she swigs down some poison and heads up to the Tower Room. As Elizabeth-as-Naomi enters the darkened, long-abandoned room, she turns on the lights via the switch mounted next to the door, then enters. After that, I lose track, because I was too busy wondering if Joan Bennett questioned that anachronistic stage direction but got overruled by the director. If Liz was so convinced she was Naomi Collins, a resident of the eighteenth century, why would she reach for a light switch when entering a dark room?

No wonder she drank so much!

 

[tommie]

I wonder if Barnabas gets some sort of time-travellers discount every time he travels back in time to repair the old house?

 

[darkshadows38]

when Don Briscoe died some years back all that came out if i recall his family posted on why he was ill and why he was forced to quit show business i had always wondered why he hadn't done any acting since he left DS in what (1969) wasn't it? or (1970) one or the other i forget which. i really do think they got carried away with doing the time travel but i dunno maybe they had ran out of ideas and the only way they could come up with good ideas was them to do time travel. one villain that is really creepy is Judah Zachary you will see him at some point. one thing that i hate about DS is how boring and poorly done the scenes are when they are in court.

it just doesn't work for DS because it's not a show that is based around the law. late last night i finally got off my ass and watched episodes #164-#165 before bed i had put the show down for quite awhile i watch a little here and a little there. i may even watch some tonight i dunno yet. it's still to early to decide that i think

 

[darkshadows38]

i'm nearly done with Disc #3 of Beginning Vol 5. i'm on episode #169 now off topic but you know how much i'm glad i use physical media? for those Gamers on here anyone who downloaded and paid for digital movies from Sony lost over #300 movies regardless if they are paid for lost those but any movie i have bought physical i can watch anytime i want. i can understand why people would get pissed at that but it just makes me so much gladder than if i want to watch DS really anywhere and not have to do a search for certain episodes online weather i pay for them or they are for free i can just go to myself and stick any disc in where i left off. this era of the show i haven't seen in years so it's really nice to see it again.

 

[Daniel Avery]

One of Nancy Barrett's best characters has to be from the 1897 arc, when prim and repressed Charity Trask becomes possessed by the spirit of the recently-deceased Miss Pansy Faye, a Cockney-accented singer/performer who met with an early demise after arriving at Collinwood on the arm of Carl Collins. Barrett gets the chance to be flirty, loud, obnoxious, and more than a tad unbalanced. I was watching her in action the other night when Charity/Pansy ("Chansy"?) found out Quentin was going to marry Angelique. Chansy had deluded herself into thinking she was going to become Mrs. Quentin Collins, so she was not impressed by this latest news. She asked Quentin if he thought he'd be happy being married to "Miss Moon Eyes" and I nearly died laughing. Lucky for Chansy she didn't say that to Angie's face.

 

[darkshadows38]

yeah outside of Carolyn when she's not scared of course her best acting was as Pansy you could tell she was having the time of her life when she did that and it shows. well i'm now on Disc #2 episode #188 so i'm nearly done with the Early years and Barnabas will soon come to my screen

 

[darkshadows38]

Finished disc #2 of Collection #6 of the Beginning Set now i'm on Disc #3 episode #197 so i've got i think #13 episodes as of this typing until the next Set which is Vol. 1 with the introduction of Barnabas Collins. i really do wish they had started the dvd sets with episode #1 but let's be honest they would not have sold well until he came onto the show. i know they sold well enough as they put them all out but they no doubt don't sell as well

 

[darkshadows38]

i'm now on episode #202 and if i recall on where i am currently if my days are right on the show Barnabas shows up in a few days maybe less than that actually!

 

[tommie]

I'm really hitting the home stretch now - they wrapped up the 1840/1970 Destruction of Collinwood storyline with everyone happy in that time and just jumped straight into parallell 1840/1 time. I guess this is how we're going to spend the next 40-30 episodes?

 

[darkshadows38]

yeah they go back in time to stop it and when they do they come back to collinwood at the end of an episode and than camera pans to a different part of the house and a PT timeline starts and when you have Frid acting as Bramwell Collins they never do come back to the real (1971) Frid wanted to play another character and i can understand that and he was good in both roles he played. i suppose the fans hated it at the time since it i think hurt the ratings but than it wasn't just that the film hurt the show too cause you had parents take kids to see the movie who didn't watch the show so when it had gore at least for (1970) anyways which is very mild compared to today. parents forbid kids to watch the show even though it never occurred to a lot of them that the tv show was only done like that since it was a theatrical show and they could not get away with that on tv at the time. at least i don't think they were? anyways that hurt the ratings i think so it wasn't just Frid playing Bramwell Collins

 

[tommie]

I suspect that the decision had already been made to pull the plug as when they return to 1970 (or 1971) they pretty much wrap up and resolve everything that has been going on - even Angelique sort-of gets her "happy" ending in that Barnabas finally acknowledges that he really loves her when she dies. The parallell 1840 storyline really comes across as trying to fill space before they go off air.

 

[tommie]

I have less than 20 episodes left!

As it winds down for me, I will say this - I wonder why they never did a mummy story? Especially with all the Egyptian hints they dropped during the 1897 storyline - I guess it was so busy as it was, but it could've been an attempt at a ratings boost during the dying days of the show since they had great successes with Vampires, Frankensteins and Werewolves.

 

[Daniel Avery]

It would have been hilarious if they had drafted Roger Davis to play the mummy, since he was always shouting, waving his arms and pawing at his face in scenes. Binding him up in mummy-garb and forcing him to stay silent for any length of time would have been torture for him. And why should we have to be the only ones to suffer during his scenes?

They also never had a traditional, serial killer-type story with multiple suspects. They could have done a sanitized-for-the-1970s version of Jack the Ripper. This would have been a good excuse to go back in time again, perhaps the 1920s?

 

[tommie]

Oh wow, I'm done.

The last episode is really odd - because first it wraps up all storylines, decides to do a cliffhanger only to have a Thayer David narration where he essentially says "wait, no it actually wasn't a cliffhanger".

 

[tommie]

Can we discuss The Josette Conundrum and how she's an example of the show being a child of its time?

When we first hear of Josette we think of her as this grand character - the sort of woman that would make a man absolutely lose his mind. Barnabas ends up confirming that - he's absolutely bonkers and would do anything to get her back to him, including brainwashing the local waitress.

Then we travel back in time and Josette is... an ordinary woman and quite frankly boring and plain. This ends up working because it provides an unintentional subtext that maybe Barnabas, being a romantic and an idealist, has a completely warped perception of her. Of course, this was probably unintentional by the writers as it probably wasn't a conscious decision as much as dictated by the standards at the time.

And this also is an example why it can't be rebooted - The Josette Conundrum of being an utter bore would present an issue for current day writers who would surely write her as more exciting and nuanced, which would take away from Barnabas's romantic and idealistic nature.

 

[Daniel Avery]

She became one of those characters better unseen/un-met. A character talked about in such a way that nothing could ever measure up, no matter how KLS played the material. Usually, such characters are better left unseen because they've been turned into a caricature---think Hyacinth's son Sheridan on Keeping Up Appearances, or Maris on Frasier.

You're not the first to comment on how underwhelming Josette was (at least compared to what we were told she was like). I guess the writers knew that Josette was doomed from the get-go and did not want people to get too attached to her since she had to die at some point. If the fans clamored for her to be brought back in one way or the other, it would wreck their story projections (such as they were). They were obviously losing interest in writing for the truly good/heroic characters in favor of the genuinely bad/evil ones (like Angelique/Cassandra, Nicholas) or gray ones like Barnabas and Julia. Your only hope in that period if you were a good person was to be a 'reluctant villain' like Chris-as-werewolf or David and Amy as the kids possessed by Quentin's ghost.

After 1795 and certainly by the time they went to 1897 they had seemingly lost interest in all the good "hero" characters and were shoving the villains and the gray characters to the forefront. By the end of 1897 the whole show seemed to revolve around the villains and the reformed villains, with "good" characters just being employed as pawns in stories. The truly good/nice/hero characters of 1897 were plowed under during the wild plots of the villains.